Saudi start-up carrier Riyadh Air has opened ticket sales for a daily service between Dubai and Riyadh from June 18, adding one of the Gulf’s busiest short-haul markets to its growing route map, it announced on June 8.
The launch matters for the trade because it puts a new long-haul-equipped carrier into a corridor long dominated by Emirates, flydubai and Saudia, signalling Riyadh Air‘s intent to feed UAE traffic into its building global network. For agents and corporate buyers, the route opens a fresh connecting option through the Saudi capital onward to London, Manchester and planned Asian destinations, widening choice on a city pair that carries heavy business demand.
The service will run between Dubai International Airport and King Khalid International Airport on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. Flights from Dubai operate as RX0244, departing at 6.30pm and arriving in Riyadh at 7.20pm local time, with the return RX0243 leaving Riyadh at 2.05pm and arriving in Dubai at 5pm. Tickets are available through the airline’s app, website and travel providers.
“The launch of our new service to Dubai marks another milestone in our journey to connect Riyadh to the world, and the world to Riyadh,” chief executive Tony Douglas said.
He said the route aligned with the carrier’s ambition to become a global airline and a contributor to Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification programme.
The Dreamliners carry four cabin classes, with Business Elite and Business offering flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 layout, Premium Economy in 2-3-2 and Economy in 3-3-3. Riyadh Air also opened founding membership of its Sfeer loyalty programme, offering free onboard Wi-Fi, rewards from the first flight and no points expiry.
The airline said schedules remained subject to change due to operational, regulatory or safety circumstances.
Why it matters for the trade
Riyadh Air’s Dubai entry hands agents a new option on a premium-heavy city pair and a fresh hub for connecting Gulf travellers westbound to Europe and eastbound to Asia. As the carrier scales its network ahead of full long-haul expansion, early route launches like this one are where corporate and leisure booking patterns start to shift, and where Riyadh Air begins competing directly for share against established Gulf incumbents.